In your article"Longevity Of Flowering Bulbs: Are My Bulbs Still Good?" ( https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/bgen/flower-bulb-shelf-life.htm ) you say: "Consider planting in a pot indoors if you cannot get the bulbs outside. Just be sure to provide adequate chilling time for fall bulbs." What is adequate chilling time? I am late planting my bulbs this year and I want to know if I have time to refrigerate them and then plant them in the early Spring in containers. I live in the Seattle area. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you, Eva Holman evaholman@fronter.com
The proper chilling time depends on the type of bulb you have. For example, tulips need about 14-16 weeks of chilling, while hyacinths need about 11-14 weeks. You can look up the chilling time for whichever species you have.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/bgen/chilling-flowering-bulbs.htm
I received these tubers from Breck's today, I am confused as to which way is up. On one side is the tuber and the other end has sprouts coming out of it but I don't know if they are roots or leaves. Can you help?
I'm not clear on the specific type of tuber, but if it's a corm the rounded side should face up. Small bulbs, even if planted upside down will find their way to the surface. When in doubt, plant sideways.
This article has information on ferns.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/ferns/taking-care-of-outdoor-ferns.htm
You can also contact the customer service from the company you purchased from to verify the variety and their specifics.
I was not able to plant my daffodils and tulips in the fall. I planted a few bulbs about a month ago. Some of them are coming up now. Should I plant the rest of them now or is there a way to preserve the remaining bulbs until fall of 2017?
Plant the daffodils - they will be much better off in the ground - but make sure nice and deep - as people tend to plant them to close to the surface- at least 3 times the depth of the bulb. For the tulips - that is a trickey question- as a lot of animals and insect get to them in the ground,but best bet for both nice and deep in the soil. best place :)
I live in florida and there is a lot of sand in my patio. I planted some bulbs with new soil. Few days later I found all these little white round snails around the plants. I digged the plant out and found the roots are gone and many of the snails and white little pieces that look like small rocks around the roots. What are they? how do I get rid of them?
There are several snails in Florida that attack gardens. It could be one of these:
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/gastro/terrestrial_snails.htm
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/white_garden_snail.htm
Removing them by hand is often the most effective method, but there are some other options:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/organic-snail-control.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/slug-snail-eggs.htm
I forgo to plant bulbs this spring can still plant or do I have to wait for next spring ThAnk you Betty
It's getting late in the growing season in your zone for bulbs to come up this year. You can plant as many fall bulbs as you like, though! This article will tell you everything you need to know about planting bulbs:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/bgen/how-long-for-bulbs-to-grow.htm
I plant a selection of bulbs in tubs outside but am finding with heavy rain they sink to bottom. I initially only plant them just below the soil.
This sounds like two issues. First, the soil that you are using may not be "heavy" enough, or may contain too much perlite or other inert media that helps fluff up the soil. Try a heavier soil mix. This can help some.
The next issue at hand will be that there may not be enough drainage in the container. If there is not enough means by which to let out water, then this can cause the bulbs to sink as well. Try drilling more holes, or finding a container with better drainage.
This is an unfortunate situation, but it can be easily corrected. Container gardening is definitely a trial and error process.
Can we use chemicals in bulbs
Termites will not bother bulbs since they do not contain woody cellulose. They will nest in the soil but they will not eat the bulbs. You can prevent them with many different things that you already likely have in your home. This collection of articles will give you some ideas: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic
As for the fungicide. Any dustable fungicide will be fine, but I prefer wettable sulfur and dolomitic lime together. This will keep the soil conditioned, and prevent fungal infections.